Locomotive front end



Aug. 29, 1944.

L. R.-PYLE LQCOMOTIVE FRONT END Filed May 28, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 28, 1943 r 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Aug. 29, 1944 LOCOMOTIVE!FRONT END Leslie R. Pyle, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Locomotive FireboxCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application May 28,1943, Serial No. 488,823

11 Claims.

This invention relates toimprovements in locomotive front ends and moreparticularly to those embodying a circumferentially open, centrifugalspark arrester in the smoke box and it consists of the mattershereinafter described and more particularly pointed outin the appendedclaims. For a locomotive front end of this kind, reference is made to myprior Patent 2,244,726 of June 10, 1941.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a locomotivefront end structure of this kind which may be said to be self-cleaningin that the heavier cinders and the like, which are deflected from adirect path leading into the spark arrester and therefore drop or fallto the bottom of the smoke box, are caused to pass through the arresterfrom below and are entrained with the nozzle blast for discharge up andout through the stack.

A further object of the'invention is to provide a locomotive front endstructure that includes but a few baffle elements therein and which areso disposed as to present a minimum of resistance to the movement of theproducts of combustion through the same so that a better draft action isafforded.

Also, it is an object of the invention to pro-- vide a locomotive frontend structure in which the heavier live sparks, after falling to thebottom of the smoke box, are delayed in their movement to the point ofdischarge into the stack, for a period which assures that said sparksare extinguished before they are entrained into the stack for dischargetherefrom.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide in a locomotivefront end structure, a novel deflector vane arrangement for the arresterwhich makes the arrester more positive in its action in preventingtherentrance of heavier live sparks thereinto and causes them to fall tothe bottom of the smoke box for extinguishment before they are drawninto the stack for discharge.

The above mentioned objects of the invention,

as Well as others, together with the several advantages thereof, willmore fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a locomotivefront end embodying the preferred form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the front end structureappearing in Fig. l as taken on the line 2--2 thereof.

Fig.8 is a transverse vertical sectional view In Fig. 1 only one of saidflues is shown and this I through the improved locomotive front end on ascale somewhat enlarged over thatof Fig. 1'

and as taken on the line 33 of said Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of an improved form of deflector vaneemployed in a part of the arrester that is included in the front end.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a certain truncated conical tubularmember embodied in the improved front end structure for use inconnection with the nozzle for causing the heavier products of.combustion at the bottom of the smoke box shell to enter the stack.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment.

of the invention illustrated in the drawings, It]

indicates the tubularbody of a locomotivesmoke box shell which isconnectedat its rear end to the front end of the boiler shell II in theconventional manner. The interior of the'smoke box shell is separatedfrom the interior of the boiler shell I l by a flue sheet I2. Flues 13open through the sheet l2 so as to discharge products of combustion intothe interior of the smoke box shell.

is in dotted lines. M indicates the front for the smoke box shell, whichis provided with the usual door. At the bottom of and inside of the bodyof the smoke box shell is a floor plate I5.

I6 indicates the flanged base for the-smoke stack, which base isdirectlyattached to the top of the body 10 of the smoke box shell about Saidsmoke stack has an opening I! therein. I a tubular extension portion I8fixed to its bottom end-and said tubular portion depends into theinterior of the body of the smoke box shell and is adapted for theattachment of a lift pipe thereto as will appear later.

The exhaust pipe, which is indicated at 19, rises from the bottom of'the body'l 0 of the smoke box shell in axial alignment with the tubularportion I 8 of the stack. Said exhaust pipe,

which is relatively short, is provided at its top r end with an exhaustnozzle or tip 20 of any' approved kind.

In the body ll! of the smoke box shell is located a spark arrester ofthe so-called circumferentially open centrifugal type and the same isindicated as a whole at 2|. Such an arrester,

which is cylindrical in shape, has its axis ar-' ranged in alignmentwith the axes of the tubular portion 18 of the stack and the tip ornozzle 20 vanes or deflector plates 24 and 25 respectively comprisesvertically which are fixed at their ends to the top and bottom plates 22and 23 respectively The vanes 24 of the front set are shown as plainflat plates. The vanes 25 are also fiat plates but are each provided onopposite sides toward but spaced different distances from the outer endthereof with right angled deflector wings 25a and 25b respectively. Oneof said vanes appears in perspective in Fig. 4.

While the deflector plates 24 and 25 just above mentioned are shown inFig. 2 as plain flat plates and straight transversely, they may be madeso as to have some curvature transversely. They are disposedtangentially and extend inwardly from the outer circle of the top andbottom plates 22 and'23 of the arrester 2! to terminate short of thecircle of the lift pipe 26. The purpose of the use of different kinds ofdeflector plates or vanes in the sets 24 and 25 thereof will appearlater.

The bottom plate 23 of the arrester engages in supportin relation upontransversely extending bars 21-21, the ends of which are suitably fixedto parts of the body 10 of the smoke box shell.

' The lift pipe 26 extends through a central opening in the top plate 22and projects a suitable distance into the upper end of the arrester 2!.Preferably the top plate 22 is made as front'and rear detachablyconnected semi-circular parts for installation purposes so that it isunnecessary to dismantle the stack to permit installation. Said topplate is provided with a flanged ring 28 about the opening beforereferred to, to provide a better engagement for the lift pipe 26.

Within the upper portion of the interior of the arrester 2| is locatedanother set of deflector vanes 29 of an auxiliary character and whichare supported from the bottom end of said lift pipe 26. While this setof deflector vanes forms no part of the present invention, so as torequire a detailed illustration or description thereof, it is mentionedin passing that they, too, are disposed tangentially and extend in adirection opposite that of the deflector vanes 24 and 25 previouslyreferred to. However, the purpose of the vanes 29 will be mentionedlater.

With the arrangement described, room or space is present at oppositesides of the arrester 2| for the passage of steam-pipes 30, which leadto the cylinders of the locomotive, of which the smoke box shell forms apart. These pipes have a flanged upper end connection with superheaterheaders 3| located in the upper rear portion of the smoke box shell.Said pipes and superheater headers, as well'as the superheater tubes 32best appear in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.

33 indicates a truncated hollow cone-like member associated with theexhaust pipe for ejecting heavier particles of the products ofcombustion that accumulate upon the floor plate I5. This member,which'appears in perspective in Fig. 5, is tubular and is so disposed asto surround the upper portion of the exhaust pipe IS with its smallerdiameter end located in the arrester 2! and with its larger diameter endlocated below the bottom plate 23 but spaced 9. suitable distance abovethe plate l5 as best appears in Fig. 1. As is obvious from Fig. 1, themember 33 defines an annular space 34 around the exhaust pipe and thetop end thereof opens into the interior of the arrester while the bottomend of said space opens into the interior of the body ID of the smokebox shell a short distance above the floor plate IS. The member 33 maybe secured in place in any suitable manner. One convenient way is toweld.

and the floor plate I5.

the member 33 to said plate as indicated at 35 in Fig. 1.

To prevent a too free passage of the used combustion material, such aslive sparks on the floor plate, into the bottom end of the space 34during the operation of the locomotive of which the front end forms apart, I provide a novel baffle arrangement.' Saidbafile arrangement isso located and its parts are so disposed as to delay the passage of saidmaterial to said space until they have become extinguished and thiswithout interfering substantially with the draft action of thelocomotive. The baflle arrangement mentioned is located between thebottom plate 23 of the arrester It comprises front and rear baflies 36and 31 and pairs of intermediate baffles 38 and 39 respectively, all ofsaid baffles engaging at their top and bottom ends with said plates 23and [5 respectively. The front baffle 36, which is made on an arcconcentric with the axis of the arrester, extends laterally each wayfrom the center line of the boiler as a Whole. The rear baflle plate ismade on an are having its center disposed rearwardly of the axis of thearrester and it extends laterally each way from said center line. Theintermediate baffles 3838 are made on an arc concentric with the axis ofthe arrester but on a radius less than that of the baffle 36 and aresomewhat less than 90 in extent so as to leave a passage 38a to the rearof the baffle 36. The other baflles 39-39 are made concentric with thebaflle 31 and On substantially the radius of the baffles 38. The bafiles39-39 are somewhat less than in extent so as to leave a passage 39a tothe front of the bafile 31. Each baffle 39 includes an extension 40 thatterminates in a forwardly extending Wing Al. The extension 40 of saidbaffles and associated wings 4| coact with the associated ends of thebaffles 38 in forming side passages 4242 respectively. Thus the bafflesmentioned, and which best appear in dotted lines in Fig. 2, provide amaze-like arrangement of passages which lead from the interior of thebody Ill of the smoke box shell toward th bottom end of the space 34.

In the operation of the locomotive of which the construction abovedescribed forms a part, the products of combustion enter the interior ofthe body I ll of the smoke box shell, from the fiues l3 under the draftaction of the jet discharged from the nozzle 20 of the exhaust pipe l9,Such products of combustion vary in size, some being relatively fine andlight in weight andothers being relatively heavy and'in the form ofcinders, some of which may be in a glowing state in the form of sparks.As the products of combustion enter the body of the smoke box shell,they travel in a substantially horizontal plane toward the front end 14and its door. In the discharge of the jet from the nozzle 20 up thestack, a subatmospheric condition is established so that the lighterand' extinguished particles of the products of combustion pass throughthe passages between the vanes 24 and 25 to enter the arrester 2| and beentrained for passage up and out through the stack. In this movement ofsaid particles, the vanes 24 and 25 impart a whirling action to them inone direction. However, as the auxiliary vanes 29 are opposed to thevanes 24-2 5, said auxiliary vanes tend to counteract said whirlingaction so that said particles are directed back toward and into theblast for entrainment out through the stack.

However, as to the heavier particles, certain of them will try todirectly enter the passageways .between the vanes 25 of the rear set andwillimpinge against the wings 2 5.a25b;and then" fall upon the bottomplate 15., 'Thoseheavier particles that sail over the top of thearrester 2l-will impinge against the front end l4 and its door to thenfall or drop upon said bottom plate.

Under the blast action of-thenozzle, anv aspirating action is induced.at the bottom of the,

space 34, whereby the larger particles of combustion in the vicinitythereof are entrained into the bottom of said space 34 to join theblastas it is-- sues from the nozzle so as to enter the same and,

along the track rails, some vibration is present and this will cause theheavier particles of com bustion on the bottom plate l5, outside of thebafiles 36-41-38 and 39, to dance or hop as they enter the maze-likepassages produced by said As the particles of products of combusbaflles.tion adjacent the bottom end of the space 34 enter said space, othersapproach said space so that they may be said to crawl toward said space.

"This dancing or hopping of said particles not only delays the entranceof said particles into the vicinity of the bottom of said space, but itproduces an attrition between said particles not only to wear them downin size but .to extinguish such particles as may be glowing when theyfall upon the bottom plate l5.

Thus, the member 33 provides not only a means which makes the front endsubstantially a selfcleaning one, but it also provides spark arrestingqualities in addition to those of the arrester 2| itself. With thearrangement of parts described, the front end approaches the so-calledlong desired empty front end because though baffles are employed, theyare so designed and located as to permit a substantially freedraftaction.

While in describing the inventionI have referred in detail to the form,arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to beconsidered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to belimited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination-with thesmoke box shell of a locomotive boiler, meansproviding a spark arrester including a casing. in said. shell, a smokestack having a portion arranged insaid shell and operatively disposedwith respect to the upper portion of the casing, an exhaust nozzleopening through the bottom of said shell and arranged to discharge intothe lower portion of said casing, and means surrounding a portion ofsaid nozzle in a manner defining a space therearound and.

which space communicates at its top end with the interior of the casingand at its bottom end with an interior part of the smokebox shell aboveits bottom, at that elevation wherein said means cooperates with theblast action of said nozzle in causing movement of the products ofcombustion resting on the bottom of said shell, into and up through saidspace into saidicasing for entrainment up and out through the stack,

2. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler, meansproviding a spark arrester including a casing in said shell, a smokestack having a portion arranged in said shell and operatively disposedwith respect to the upper portion of the casing, an exhaust nozzleopening through the bottom of said shell and arranged to discharge intothe lower portion of said casing, and means surrounding a portion ofsaid nozzle in a manner defining a space therearound and which spacecommunicates at its top end with the interior of said casing and. isopen at its bottom end so as to communicate with an interior part of thesmokebox shell above its bottom, at that elevation wherein said meanscooperates with the blast action of said nozzle in causing movement ofthe products of combustion resting on the bottom of said shell into saidspace from its open bottom end and then up through said space into saidcasing for entrainment up and out through the stack.

3. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler, meansproviding a spark arrester including a casing in said shell, a smoke.stack having a portion arranged in said shell and operatively disposedwith respect to the upper portion of the casing, an exhaust nozzleopeningthrough the bottom of said shell and arranged to discharge intothe lower portion of said casing,

and a frustro conical tubular member surround-- ing a portion of saidnozzle and defining an annular space therearound which communicates atits smaller top end with the interior of said casing and communicates atits larger bottom end with an interior part of the boiler shell aboveits bottom, said means cooperating with the blast action of said nozzlein causing movement of the products of combustion resting on the bottomof said shell into and up through said space into said casing forentrainment up and out through the stack,

l. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler, meansproviding a spark arrester including a casing in said shell, a smokestack having a part arranged in said shell and operatively disposed withrespect to the upper portion of the casing, an exhaust nozzle openingthrough the bottom of the shell and having a discharge tip disposedwithin the lower portion of said casing, and tubular means surrounding aportion of the nozzle in a manner defining a space therearound, the topend of said means extending into said casing to an elevation above thatof the tip of said nozzle, said space having communication at its bottomwith an interior part of the boiler shell above its bottom, said meanscooperating with the blast action of said nozzle in causing movement ofthe products of combustion resting on the bottom of said shell into andup through said space into said casing for entrainment up and outthrough the stack.

5. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler, meansproviding a peripherally open centrifugal spark arrester embodyingtherein top and bottom plates and deflector vanes dispo-sedbetweenmarginal parts of said plates, a smoke stack having a portion arrangedin said shell with its bottom end disposed in operative relation to saidtop plate, an exhaust nozzle opening through the bottom of said shelland having an upper end arranged to discharge into the arrester, andmeans surrounding a portion of said nozzle in a manner defining a spacetherearound, said means, having a sealed connection at its mid portionwith said bottom plate to leave top and bottom end portions disposedabove and be low said bottom plate, said bottom end portion being formedto have communication with an interior part of the smoke box shell aboveits bottom, said means cooperating with the blast action of the nozzlein causing movement of products of combustion resting on said bottom ofthe shell into and up through said space into thearrester forentrainment up and out through the stack.

6. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler, meansproviding a spark arrester including a casing in said shell, a smokestack having a portion arranged in said shell and operatively disposedwith respect to the upper portion of the casing, an exhaust nozzleopening through the bottom of said shell and arranged to discharge intothe lower part of said casing, means surrounding a portion of saidnozzle in a manner defining a space therearound and which spacecommunicates at its top end with the interior of the casing and at itsbottom end with an interior part of the smoke box shell, said meanscooperating with the blast action of said nozzle in causing movement ofthe products of combustion resting on the bottom of said shell into andup through said space into said casing for entrainment up and outthrough the stack,

and other means disposed between the bottom of the casing and saidbottom of said shell and surrounding the first mentioned means forproviding tortuous passageways for said product of combustion beforethey enter said space.

I. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler, meansproviding a spark ar roster including a casing in said shell, a smokestack having a portion arranged in said shell and operatively disposedwith respect to the upper portion of the casing, an exhaust nozzleopening through the bottom of said shell and arranged to discharge intothe lower portion of said casing, and a truncated tubular membersurrounding a portion of said nozzle and defining an annular spacetherearound, the upper smaller diameter end of said member beingdisposed within said casing and the lower larger diameter end of saidmember being arranged in spaced relation above the bottom of said smokebox shell, said member cooperating with the blast action of said nozzlein causing movement of the products of combustion resting on said bottomof said shell into and up through said space into said casing forentrainment up and out through the stack.

8. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler, meansproviding a spark arrester including a casing in said shell, a smokestack having a portion arranged in said shell and operatively disposedwith respect to the upper portion of the casing, an exhaust nozzleopening through the bottom of said shell and arranged to discharge intothe lower portion of said casing, and means surrounding a portion ofsaid nozzle in a manner defining a space therearound and which spacecommunicates at its top end with the interior of the casing and at itsbottom end with an interior part of the smoke box shell above itsbottom, said means cooperating with the blast action of said nozzle incausing movement of the products of combustion resting on the bottom ofsaid shell, into and up through said space into said casing forentrainment up and out through the stack, and a plurality of bafflesarranged between the bottom of the casing and the bottom of said shell,with the ends of certain of said baffles overlapping and spaced fromeach other to form a space about said nozzle having a tortuous passagecommunication with the bottom space of the boiler shell surrounding saidbaffles.

9. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler, meansproviding a spark ar-' operatively disposed with respect to the upperportion of the casing, an exhaust nozzle opening through the bottom ofsaid shell and arranged to discharge into the lower portion of saidcasing, and a truncated tubular member surrounding a portion of saidnozzle and defining an annular space therearound, the upper smallerdiameter end or said member being disposed within said casing and thelower larger diameter end of said member being arranged in spacedrelation above the bottom of said smoke box shell, said membercooperating with the blast action of said nozzle in causing movement ofthe products of combustion resting on said bottom of said shell into andup through said space into said casing for entrainment up and outthrough the stack, and a plurality of curved baflles arranged betweenthe bottom of the casing and the bottom of said shell, with the ends ofcertain of said baffles overlapping and spaced from each other to form aspace about said nozzle having a tortuous passage communication' withthe bottom spacelof the boiler shell surrounding said baflles.

10. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler,means providing a spark arrester including a casing in said shellcomprising top and bottom horizontally disposed plates and verticalvanes extending between said top and bottom plates and having spacestherebetween for the passage of products of combustion from the interiorof said shell into the interior of said casing, means associated withcertain of said vanes and extending laterally therefrom into said spacesto function as baffles as well as to define tortuous'passagestherethrough, a smoke stack having a part arranged in said shell andoperatively disposed with respect to the upper portion of said casingand an exhaust nozzle arranged to discharge into the lower portion ofsaid casing.

11. In combination with the smoke box shell of a locomotive boiler,means providing a spark arrester including a casing in said shellcomprising top and bottom horizontally disposed plates and verticalvanes extending between said top and bottom plates and having spacestherebetween for the passage of products of combustion from the interiorof said shell into the interior of said casing, means associated withcertain of said vanes and extending laterally therefrom into said spacesto function as baffles as well as to define tortuous passagestherethrough, a smoke stack having a part arranged in said shell andoperatively disposed with respect to the upper portion of said casing,an exhaust nozzle arranged to discharge into the lower portion of saidcasing, and means surrounding a portion of said nozzle in a mannerleaving a space therearound and which space communicates at its top endwith the interior of said casing and at its bottom end with an interiorpart of the smoke box shell above its bottom, said means cooperatingwith the blast action of the nozzle in causing movement of the productsof combustion resting at the bottom of said shell into and up throughsaid space into said casing for entrainment up and out through thestack.

